Green Gene Advocates Await Climate Change

Graphic: Erica P. Johnson German plant biotechnology companies, frustrated by a European moratorium and lacking political and public support in their home country, struggle to sustain their re-search. Many still hope that genetically modified (GM) plant products will eventually find their way to the market. Some officials even believe that green gene technology, as plant genetics are sometimes called, could become a cornerstone in the recovery of the eastern German economy. Basic academic research into plant biotechnology thrives in Germany. "There are many research institutes conducting basic research in the field--not only at universities, but also at other centers of excellence such as Max Planck Institutes [MPIs] or Leibniz Institutes," says Hans-Ulrich Koop at the University of Munich. To bundle national research activities, the plant genome initiative, Genome Analysis of the Plant Biological System (GABI), was started in 1999. Supported by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and by business companies, the project has been a great success, according to its founders, and there are plans to extend it further, possibly including the sector of molecular farming, which cultivates plants as sources of medicines and chemicals. The education system itself is being revamped. "Universities are introducing bachelor and master programs that are taught in English," says Carsten Roller, manager of the Association of German Biologists. "These programs should be attractive for oversea students as well. In addition, there is a trend for interdisciplinary education and collaboration." In the mid-1990s, the German government pushed the development of commercial gene technology with the ambitious goal of making Germany the leader in Europe's biotechnology industry. Companies investing in green gene technology benefited from the boom. Several plant biotechs were formed, often the spinoffs of university or government-supported research institutions. Weihenstephan to the north of Munich is becoming a gateway for the development of green biotechnology in Bavaria. The MPI for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne and the Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben are nuclei for the formation of other green biotech clusters. In addition, GM crops enjoyed the blessing of the country's industry giants as big agrochemical concerns joined small seed companies in investing heavily in the technology. For example, BASF Crop Science announced its plan to invest ¤700 million within the next 10 years. ANTIGENE GREEN However, since the Green Party became part of the national government in 1998, agricultural policy has shifted. Organic farming is now a key focus, and the government tends to block or delay the authorization of GM food products. The change in climate has forced the seed companies to scale back their research and development programs, while the big players increased their competitiveness through business mergers. The two winners, Bayer CropScience and BASF Plant Science, are maintaining bases in Germany, but their main focus is on North American markets. Smaller biotech companies have a tough time. Funding has become tight, not only from public sources, but also from venture capital firms. Some small companies, such as MPB Cologne, have had to close down. "We had a drop in orders when the EU [European Union] moratorium was put in place," says Peter Welters of Phytowelt, consultants to the plant biotechnology industry. "We used to have small and medium-sized seed companies among our clients--not any more. It was our luck that we had built an international client base. If we didn't have clients in Canada and Japan, we might have had to close down as well." Welters spent several years as a research scientist at the MPI for Plant Breeding Research and at the University of California in San Diego before he founded Phytowelt in 1998. He says many of his former colleagues at the MPI have left plant biotechnology and are now working in pharmaceuticals. "Many scientists who want to stay in the field of plant biotechnology move abroad," he adds. Concerns about a brain drain are widespread. To turn the tide, the German Biotechnology Industry Association (DIB) released a position paper, calling on policymakers to enable an open and transparent dialogue between the public and scientists and to give green biotechnology the chance to prove itself in the marketplace.1 The paper offers guidance to the new government, elected Sept. 22, on the consistent implementation of national and EU regulations. "Public acceptance is likely to grow first in areas where there is a direct benefit for the consumer," says Michael Kleine, CEO of Planton in Kiel. The company, founded in June 2001 by four life scientists, is one of three German startups specializing in molecular farming. The company has just received another grant from the German Environmental Research Foundation (DBU). "Our focus is in the development of antimicrobial peptides," Kleine says. "The plant system is ideal to achieve large-scale production of these peptides without compromising biological activity." Molecular farming is fairly young, with only around 20 small biotechs worldwide specializing in this field. Many pharmaceutical companies hesitate to invest in this area, as molecular farming is not yet an established production method. This year, however, ProdiGene of College Station, Texas, launched the production of proteins in commercial quantities. Large pharmaceutical companies are now starting to show interest as well. "They are beginning to realize the potential to produce pharmaceuticals at low costs," Kleine says. "In addition, they are facing manufacturing capacity problems and see molecular farming as a potential solution." Regulatory bodies have also recognized the potential of the new technology. The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products recently issued a statement offering guidance on "quality-related points that should be considered by applicants proposing to market medicinal products with pharmacologically or immunologically active substances" produced in transgenic plants. FERTILE SOIL So what are the career prospects for those who want to leave academia and earn their living in the private sector in Germany? Roller says many companies are reluctant to take on new staff because they do not know whether or when they will be able to bring their products to the German market. He points out that scientists prepared to move to rural areas in eastern Germany will have a better chance of finding jobs. In the New Laender (the states of the former East Germany), public acceptance of green biotechnology is higher than it is in most other areas in the EU. The area around Magdeburg, capital of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, has been the most amenable to the new technology. "There is a broad acceptance of plant biotechnology among the local population, probably for historical reasons," says Marion Kallas of the Company for Regional Economic Development, Aschersleben-Stassfurt. The Magdeburger Boerde, as the region is called, has a favorable climate and the most fertile soil in Germany. It was one of the cradles of scientific plant breeding, and has a strong research infrastructure with multiple scientific institutions concentrating on plant molecular biology. The region attracts scientists not only from Germany but also from overseas. Centers of competence include the IPK and the Federal Center for Breeding Research on Cultivated Plants (BAZ). "These research institutes were already around in the days of the old East Germany, and the research focus has always been on plant biotechnology," Kallas adds. "Everybody here grew up with it, and we can build on this experience." Several companies have been founded in the small town of Gatersleben; among them the BASF subsidiary SunGene, which already employs 60 people. By 2005, the BMBF will provide ¤20 million funding for the transformation of the region into a major plant biotechnology hub. "There is a lot of potential here, and I believe that is the reason why we have received such extensive funding," says Eveline Nettlau, CEO of the Biotech-Gründerzentrum Gatersleben, an innovation center that helps launch new biotech companies. Kallas notes that at this point in time, "Saxony-Anhalt is probably the federal state with the highest potential in the field of plant biotechnology." He adds, "If the federal government decided today to improve the regulations and take a clear stance for green biotechnology, we would be ready for it." Martina Habeck (m.habeck@gmx.net) is a freelance writer in London. 1. German Biotechnology Industry Association, "Clear signals needed from the future German government," Aug. 22, 2002.

Green Gene Advocates Await Climate Change

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